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The day after the match against Atlético Madrid was one of those rare moments where everything felt perfect. Barcelona had won, and the team was buzzing with energy. The stadium had exploded when Marc scored the second goal, securing the win. Summer had been at the heart of it all, capturing every moment, her camera clicking away. But today wasn't just about the game—it was about the people she was surrounded by.
The friend group was back together for a post-match celebration at a café. It was a casual affair, but the energy was infectious. The group—Marc, Pau, Gavi, Hector, Summer, Ana, Eva, Fermin, Lamine, and a few new faces like Joao Félix and Jude Bellingham—had become a tightly-knit unit, and this was one of those rare times where everyone was in the same place, enjoying each other's company without the pressures of games or training.
"Okay, we're getting way too many pictures today," Lamine said, rolling his eyes as Summer snapped another photo.
"Oh, please, Lamine, it's for the memories," Summer teased, grinning as she lowered her camera. "You'll thank me later when you're old and gray, looking back at all the good times."
"I'll be gray in like five years," Lamine shot back, pulling a face. "My hair's already starting to fall out with all these games."
Eva, sitting across from him, laughed. "You can't be serious. You're only 17, Lamine."
"17 going on 50 with all this stress!" Lamine exclaimed, gesturing toward the table.
The group laughed, and Ana leaned over to throw her arm around Lamine's shoulder. "You're just mad you lost that one-on-one to Gavi yesterday. You can't take the heat, huh?"
Gavi smirked. "I told you I was faster than you, but you didn't want to believe me."
"I'll have my revenge," Lamine promised, throwing a playful glare at Gavi.
"Not if I can help it," Gavi replied, his grin widening.
At the table, Marc and Pau were already deep into another debate, this time about who was going to score the most goals in the next match.
"I'm telling you, Marc, I'm going to outscore you," Pau said, shaking his head.
"Not happening, bro," Marc replied with confidence, nudging Pau with his elbow. "I've been practicing those penalty shots. You're just mad I got one past you last time."
"I'll take you down," Pau said, grinning as he poked Marc in the side.
"Guys, we've won the match. Why don't we let the real strikers—like me—take over?" Joao Félix chimed in from across the table, flashing a mischievous grin.
"Oh, please," Marc said, throwing his hands up. "We all know you've got the moves, Joao, but you wouldn't have a chance against me in the penalty box."
The conversation moved to who had the best skills on the team. Jude Bellingham, who had been quiet up until this point, finally spoke up. "I've got to say, I've been keeping an eye on you all. But I think we need to talk about who's the real MVP of the team."
"Oh, here we go," Gavi teased, leaning forward. "We all know who the MVP is—me."
"Don't be too modest, Gavi," Jude laughed. "You've been playing great, but I'm still waiting for that perfect assist from you."
"Excuse me, I'm the one setting everyone up, not just scoring!" Gavi said, throwing his hands up. "You all just need to catch up!"
"I'm just happy I get to be a part of all this," Ana said with a smile, glancing around at the lively conversation. "But seriously, can we talk about how we're going to celebrate? You know, like normal people who don't play football?"
"Normal?" Eva raised an eyebrow. "What's normal about this group?"
Summer grinned, looking at Hector, who had been unusually quiet. She knew there was more he wanted to say to her, but he hadn't pushed her since their conversation a few days ago.
"We should all go out for dinner tomorrow night," Summer suggested. "Something low-key. No football talk. Just us."
"You mean you want a night without Marc trying to argue that he's the best striker on the planet?" Lamine asked with a laugh.
Marc grinned. "I'll have you know, Lamine, that's a fact, not an argument."
"We'll see about that," Lamine replied.
"We need a place that does good food and has a nice vibe," Eva added, her eyes sparkling. "I'm thinking something a little fancy."
"That's because you're the only one who has a taste for anything fancy," Pau said, smirking. "The rest of us are happy with pizza."
"Pizza works for me," Joao said, nodding. "But if we're getting pizza, we need the good stuff."
"Enough about pizza!" Marc said, clapping his hands together. "Let's settle this—who's really the best player in the group?"
The conversation shifted to playful debates about who had the best skills, but Summer wasn't paying attention. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Hector. Every time their eyes met across the table, a quiet understanding passed between them. Neither of them had said anything, but there was a shift in the air, something almost tangible.
As the group continued to chat and tease each other, Summer's phone buzzed. She checked it quickly and saw a tweet from Jude: "Another win for the squad 💪💙 Can't wait for the next one! #teamwork #barcelona #winners"
Lamine had already responded with his own tweet: "Big shoutout to @summer_xox for always making us look good on the field, even when we're just joking around #MVP"
Summer couldn't help but laugh at the tweet, feeling a rush of affection for the people she had grown so close to.
"You've got fans now," Hector said quietly, leaning over to glance at her phone.
"I guess so," Summer replied, her smile widening. "Lamine's got a way with words."
"Not just words," Hector said, his tone soft. "But actions, too."
Summer looked at him, unsure of what he meant. "What do you mean?"
He smiled, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You'll see soon enough."
The evening stretched on, filled with laughter, playful arguments, and endless jokes. By the time they left the café, everyone had agreed on their dinner plans for tomorrow night—no football talk, just fun.
As Summer walked beside Hector, she couldn't shake the feeling that things were shifting between them. She wasn't sure where it was going, but she knew one thing for certain—this was just the beginning of something new. And as she looked around at her friends, her heart swelled with gratitude. Whatever the future held, they'd face it together.
